Bible Study – How and Why

Why Do We Do Bible Study?

  1. The main reason for doing Bible study is to get to know God and come closer to Him. Scripture is God’s revelation of Himself to us.
  2. Bible study enables us to separate reality from fantasy and propaganda. In our world of illusion and lies, God’s Word offers us the real and right stuff– truth.
  3. Bible study can realign our perspective of ourselves, our circumstances and others. Scripture gives us the big picture view so that we can make sense out of the details of today.
  4. Bible study offers us encouragement without flattery, correction for our course and instruction in “getting it right”. The Bible is not good advice; it is revelation! (II Timothy 3:15-17.)
  5. Bible study unwraps for us the lives of other pilgrims who have also yearned for God. Their faith motivates us. Their struggles and tears cement a camaraderie between us. Their praise gives us a pattern for our praise. The consequences of their disobedience warns us of the danger and pain ahead if we choose to go our own way.
  6. Bible study holds out to us the joy of discovery. As we take time to be still before the Lord, to read and ponder His Word to us and to discover a fresh, clearer view of Him and life, there will be joy. We’ll feel like saying, “Ah, yes!”
  7. Bible study can help us help others. As we begin to know God better and make sense out of life through the means of Bible study, we will be seeing principles to pass on to others. We will be learning truth to speak in love (Ephesians 4:15).

How Do We Do Bible Study?

  1. Pray. Begin your study with prayer. God has not only spoken His Word but His Spirit is with you to promote understanding. Tell Him you’re really counting on that!
  2. Read. Read, read and re-read the portion you have selected for study. The Bible is a book and you approach it like other important books. Read it carefully so that you see what it REALLY says – not what you’ve always thought it says.
  3. Think. Think is not a four letter word! It’s rewarding to ponder the Bible, see connections, draw conclusions and gain fresh insights. When you do this in your own personal Bible study and in collaboration with your Father it’s doubly rewarding. Read thoughtfully. (II Timothy 2:7)
  4. Determine. Determine ahead of time to obey, to act on what God says to you through your Bible study. Truth not acted on hardens us.

  5. Remember. Remember that the three questions your Bible study should answer about a passage are:

    What does it say? – Observation
    What does it mean? – Interpretation
    What does it mean to me? – Application
    As you are deciding what a passage says and means, here are a few things to do:

  6. Read the passage in context. That is, see how a single verse relates to the whole book. Even entire books of the Bible relate to the whole Bible in different ways. Also think about the historical/cultural context of a passage. A Bible dictionary helps with this.
  7. Notice key words, phrases and ideas to see what the author is emphasizing. To do this, look for repetitions. Be sure you understand the meaning of words. A regular dictionary is a good tool.
  8. Observe the grammar. See who is doing what and when it happens.
  9. Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture. Look up cross references. Compare the passage with other passages on the same theme.
  10. As you answer what the passage means to you. Ask yourself: Is there a promise to claim? A sin to avoid? A fact to believe? A warning to heed? A command to obey? A truth to ponder?
  11. Decide what steps you can take right now to respond in obedience to what you’ve learned.
  12. Look for characteristics of God as you observe His attitudes and actions. You see this most clearly as you look at Jesus. Think about how the different qualities of God have significance to you/your circumstances/ relationships. Take Him seriously enough to respond with prayer or praise or rest or restructured thought patterns or action. (For example, when you read in I Peter that God’s mercy caused you to enter into new birth with a living hope, praise Him for this. Remember it when you’re feeling abandoned or rejected. Count on it when you are humiliated by your weaknesses. Tell someone else when they need to hear it.)

Carolyn Roper/lp
December 28, 1988